Samsung to sell used high-end phones next year — report

Soon, that high-end Samsung smartphone you’ve been wishing for might be had for less. And no, we’re not talking about buying it from a gray-market importer.

The world’s top phone maker, whose recent works include premium phablets like the Galaxy Note 7 and Galaxy A9 Pro, is reportedly preparing to launch a program to sell refurbished handsets as early as next year, a person “with direct knowledge of the matter” told Reuters Monday. If pushed ahead, used high-end phones returned by users in markets like the U.S. and South Korea where Samsung offers one-year upgrade programs will be resold at a discount.

The report hasn’t been confirmed yet, and the Reuters source declined to drill into details, such as where the priced-reduced, refurbished phones would be sold and for how much. Without any idea how significant the savings would be, it’s tough to comment on the matter.

Regardless, the idea of not paying full price for a Samsung flagship should appeal to many. Not to mention, second-hand options sold directly by brands to consumers usually undergo a tight refurbishment process (to fix or replace faulty parts) and are covered by a warranty. It’s probably right to assume reconditioned Samsung Galaxy S and Note devices won’t be any different.

Those who have been hoping for years that Samsung would compete with the second-hand market may be asking: Why now? We could imagine that risking cannibalizing the sale of new mid- to high-end Galaxy smartphones was an incredibly difficult decision, but some would argue it’s for the best. Samsung is already facing increased competition in China and other parts of Asia where Chinese brands have done so well in recent years.

In the West, Samsung’s greatest rival already sells used devices on the Apple Refurbished Store, offerings discounts between 15 and 25 percent on MacBooks and iPads. It also wants to sell refurbished iPhones in India, but the plan has been put on hold after meeting stiff resistance from local companies and the Indian government.

Engineer builds glitter bomb with stinky farts for package thieves

There are times when the receiver of a package is away, it’s just placed on the doorstep. This opens a chance for thieves to steal unprotected goods. Stealing is not cool, but instead of simply relying on the police, a former NASA engineer built something to teach thieves a lesson.

After a couple stole his package one afternoon, Mark Rober decided to create a device that would deliver an ultimate prank. Disguised as an Apple HomePod box, the carefully engineered creation is equipped with four cellular-connected LG G5 phones to record videos in 360 degrees. The phones let Mark see the spectacle of a glitter bomb that showers in all directions. Not only that, but it also fumes a stinky scent using a fart spray. 👀

It’s a harmless way to send a colorful and strong scented message. The only damage is the large amount of glitter that needs to be thoroughly cleaned.

Lenovo Z5 Pro GT makes every other phone look sad

There are phones that surprise us; there are others that simply want to watch the smartphone landscape burn.

Lenovo launched the Z5 Pro GT, and it definitely deserves that overly long moniker. Not only is it the first smartphone to be powered by Qualcomm’s flagship Snapdragon 855 SoC, but it’s also equipped with a whopping 12GB of memory and 512GB of storage.

It doesn’t stop there: The Z5 Pro GT makes use of a slider mechanism similar to what Xiaomi implemented on the Mi Mix 3. This houses the 16- and 8-megapixel selfie camera setup under the slider, as well as the 16- and 24-megapixel shooters on the rear.

Coupled with a 6.39-inch 1080p AMOLED display with an under-display fingerprint scanner, the Z5 Pro GT demolishes most handsets launched in 2018. Even more impressive? The pricing!

Believe it or not, the max memory and storage configuration mentioned earlier retails for only CNY 4,398 or approximately US$ 640. This can lower itself to CNY 3,398 (US$ 495) for the 8GB+256GB variant, CNY 2,998 (US$ 435) for the 8GB+128GB model, or CNY 2,698 (US$ 390) for 6GB+128GB.

There are only a few downsides to this product. One, it doesn’t offer 5G connectivity despite having a compatible chipset; it may be because of the phone’s early release happening in January. Two, its battery capacity is only at 3350mAh, which is below-average for something that packs so much power.

All this info may not even matter to most consumers. Unless you reside in China or have access to reliable online retailers, chances are slim that you’ll see this outside of its homeland.

Microsoft is finally launching the Surface Go in more Asian markets

The Surface Go is the latest and most affordable Surface product from Microsoft that runs on Windows 10. It is an affordable offering to take on tablets from Apple and Samsung. The 2-in-1 device competes against the likes of the Apple iPad Pro and Samsung Galaxy S4 Tab.

Microsoft has partnered with Flipkart for online sales with introductory offers, including INR 4,000 off on Type Cover, free Hungama Play subscription worth INR 799, and discount offers from Thomas Cook and Kaya Clinic.

The 2-in-1 comes with a 10-inch LCD display that has an aspect ratio of 3:2. Like all other Surface products, it supports use of the Surface Pen for creative as well as note-taking purposes. It is 8.3mm thin and weighs just 520 grams.

Powering the Surface Go is a 7th-generation Intel Pentium Gold Processor coupled with Intel HD Graphics 615. The company claims it can offer up to nine hours of battery life with moderate usage and also houses a microSDXC card slot for memory expansion.

On the rear is an 8-megapixel camera while the front has a 5-megapixel sensor for video calls. It also includes Windows Hello for quick authentication. Charging is done via a Surface Connect port along with a USB-C port and 3.5mm headphone jack.

The portable machine is built to perform every task a normal Windows 10 computer can, offering increased flexibility and reliability when on the go. Though, this laptop-cum-tablet is built for light tasks like mails, browsing, streaming, and writing.